Regency Romances

by Grace Fletcher

  “When you regain your memories for the past year, then you’ll know why.”

  What? North had no idea what she meant by that. Eleanor turned to leave and North stood, the world swaying. He hurried after her without falling over and grabbed her arm, not caring about proprieties anymore.

  “Miss Eliot, please! What are you talking about?”

  Eleanor snorted.

  “If you really can’t remember, you had better try. Because I’m not about to have someone I care about suffer with a broken heart because of you.”

  “Wait, please.” North felt like she was talking in riddles. “Who did I hurt that you care about?”

  For a moment, he thought Eleanor was going to tell him. But then she backed away, shaking her head.

  “I hope you remember soon. If not, have a happy life with a woman you proclaimed publicly that you would never marry.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “If you forgot that, you really have been knocked hard out of your senses. Even I heard you tell Lady Emma in front of a packed room that a marriage between the two of you would never happen.” Eleanor shook her head. “You would have to be out of your senses to marry a spoiled little rich girl like her.”

  Why did that description ring a bell? North felt it probe at his mind but it didn’t get through. He pressed his fingers to his temples. His head was beginning to hurt.

  “You’re talking in circles, Miss Eliot. What’s going on?”

  Chapter 4

  Beauty’s Devastation

  “I’m not going to tell you. You’ll accuse me of putting ideas in your head. Besides, I promised.” Eleanor sighed. “But all I can say is think really hard. Then you might have all the answers.”

  Then she was hurrying off into the shadows. North thought about following her but he didn’t think he would stay upright. He staggered back to the bench and sat down.

  What had that been about? Eleanor Eliot, from what North could vaguely remember, was a sweet, docile woman. She had never attacked someone, least of all in anger. What was going on?

  North wished he could get his memory back. This would make a lot more sense.

  ***

  Isabella was glad she went home that early from the ball. The next morning, she awoke with a chesty cough and sweating like a pig. The doctor confirmed she had pneumonia, and she needed to rest. Isabella was happy to do that; she had an excuse not to go out into Society. Not when North was making himself known again at social functions. Isabella didn’t want to see him again if she could help it.

  But it did mean she got to think about him a lot as she lay there, trying to sleep or simply rest. He just would not leave her alone. Isabella remembered a lot of the better times where North would take her riding or on a picnic. They would meet by the lake at his country house and simply sit and talk. Isabella enjoyed those times immensely.

  Time and time again, even when she told herself not to, Isabella found herself touching the pendant around her neck. North had given it to her with a likeness of himself inside, told her to keep it by her heart and they would be married once he returned. Isabella had believed him. Now it was not to happen.

  Despite all this, Isabella couldn’t bring herself to take it off. She knew she should—a promise had been broken and North could not remember her anymore—but Isabella couldn’t do it. So, it just stayed around her neck as a physical reminder of her pain.

  She needed to get rid of it soon or she was going to go mad, Isabella was sure of it.

  Finally, one morning Isabella woke up to birds tweeting in through the open window. The sun was out brighter than before and it was warmer than previous days. Eleanor was sitting in a chair by the window, reading. She looked up and smiled when she saw Isabella sitting up.

  “Good morning, sleepy.”

  “Eleanor?” Isabella yawned and rubbed at her eyes. “How long have you been there?”

  “Not long. I wanted to see how you were but you were still asleep.” Eleanor put her book aside and stood, walking over to the bed. She helped Isabella prop the pillows up and eased her back against them. “How are you feeling today?”

  “I…” Isabella realized she didn’t feel the need to cough. Her chest was hurting, but she didn’t feel like she needed to do anything other than breathe. That was clearer as well. “Much better, actually. I think I’ll be able to get up soon.”

  “Good.” Eleanor sat on the bed and took her sister’s hand. “It’s not like you to be ill for this long.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Belle, you’re one of those people who can get up and run around within hours of catching something. You were like this since you were a child. Nothing’s got you down this long before.”

  Isabella had a feeling she knew the reason why. Now North had spurned her, she didn’t have anything to get up in the morning for. She looked down at her free hand on the coverlet.

  “Maybe I haven’t got the will to live right now.”

  Eleanor sucked in a sharp breath.

  “Don’t say that, please.”

  “I guess I just don’t have anything to fight for anymore.” Isabella swallowed. Her mouth felt like she had been sucking coins. “I miss him and I wish I didn’t.”

  “I know you do, darling,” Eleanor said gently. “But you haven’t got a choice. He’s made his bed and now he’s lying in it.”

  “Not by his own choice,” Isabella protested, but Eleanor held up a finger.

  “If he wanted to remember, Belle, he would have done it by now. You’ll have to move on.”

  Isabella knew that. But it wasn’t easy.

  “I don’t know if I can.”

  Eleanor sighed. Then she brightened, her eyes taking on a fresh gleam.

  “How about you and I go to the Travers estate this weekend? Lady Travers is throwing a fiftieth birthday party for her husband and she’s invited us to come along.”

  That did perk Isabella up. The Travers family were close friends of their parents. Higher in status but they didn’t mind Eleanor and Isabella playing with their daughters, Sally and Clarissa. They had lost touch in the last few years, but Isabella remembered her time at the Travers estate very fondly.

  It could be just what she needed to forget about the duke.

  “I haven’t seen Aunt Charlotte in a long time,” she murmured with a faint smile.

  “See? She still manages to put a smile on your face.” Eleanor grinned. “So, let’s go. Father said we can be each other’s companions, so we don’t need our parents to come with us.”

  That did sound like a very good idea. God only knew how much Isabella wanted to get away from London right now. Anything was better than walking through the streets of the capital, hoping not to see the Duke of Northumberland coming around the corner or in his carriage, either on his own or with Lady Emma Hughes. Ever since he got back, the woman had practically latched herself onto him as far as propriety would allow, giving Isabella a smug look as they went past. It was like she knew that North and Isabella had been close previously.

  Isabella didn’t want to see that for a while.

  The door opened and one of the upstairs maids came in carrying a tray. A newspaper was tucked under her arm. She gave Isabella a warm smile as she placed the tray on the young woman’s lap.

  “Your breakfast, Miss Isabella. And the morning paper,” she added, taking out the newspaper and laying it on the bedside table.

  “Thank you, Delilah.”

  Delilah bobbed a curtsy and left, closing the door behind her. Isabella reached for the paper and opened it up. Her mother thought it strange that her youngest daughter would want to read the newspaper, especially first thing in the morning, but Isabella liked doing it. It allowed her to have a while to wake up and get herself going for the day. Her father did it and it seemed to work for him.

  But as she opened up to the inside page, one article jumped out at her and made Isabella glad she hadn’t eaten her breakfast yet.


  “Oh, no.”

  “What?” Eleanor sat up. “What is it?”

  “You were right.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  Isabella couldn’t say anything. She simply held out the paper and pointed mutely. Eleanor leaned over and began to read aloud.

  “Today, we are proud to announce the engagement of Maurice Bennett, Duke of Northumberland, and Lady Emma Hughes, daughter of Lord Evan Hughes. Northumberland has just returned from war in France and he and Lady Hughes are finally tying the knot in…” Her face paled. “Oh, no. Oh, Isabella.” She tossed the paper aside and pulled Isabella into her arms. “Oh, little sister.”

  It wasn’t until Eleanor held her that Isabella realized she was crying.

  ***

  “I’m glad you could come here, Your Grace.”

  North turned. He had been staring out the window of the front room, trying to concentrate on the stunning scenery in front of him and not on the thoughts swirling around in his head. He gave the middle-aged man sitting on the couch a polite nod.

  “It was nothing, Travers. I’m honored to be celebrating this milestone with you.”

  “I’m the one who should be honored.” Lord Henry Travers stood and approached the younger man, a beaming smile on his ruddy face. “And to have the Lady Emma here as well. Sally was most pleased about that.”

  North grunted. He was here as a guest and Emma was also invited due to being a friend of Sally Travers. But North felt like he was here with the wrong person. Every moment since the final announcement that the banns had been published, North had a sinking feeling that he had done the wrong thing. He didn’t feel anything much whenever he looked at Emma. Wasn’t he supposed to love her, adore her and compliment her whenever he could because he wanted to see her eyes light up? North hadn’t even kissed Emma, and she had tried many times, which had frustrated her. Weren’t you supposed to kiss the woman you loved and were about to marry? The thought of doing that with Emma made North feel nauseous.

  Something was really wrong but nobody was telling him about it. There was no one to turn to.

  Chapter 5

  An Unhappy Beast

  Travers laid a hand on North’s shoulder.

  “I’m glad you managed to patch up your differences. You two are a lovely couple, Your Grace.”

  “What differences?” North shook his head. “As far as I’m aware, we never had any differences.”

  Then he saw Travers’s eyes widen. It was as if he had realized he had spoken out of turn. The older man stepped back with a splutter, tripping over his words.

  “Forgive me, Your Grace. That was thoughtless of me.”

  It was thoughtless. It had made North’s mind turn over again and again. What differences was he talking about? And why couldn’t he remember? North turned back to the window.

  “May I have a few minutes alone?”

  “Of course, Your Grace.” Travers began backing away. “Anything you say, Your Grace.”

  Then he was gone, practically running out the room. What on earth was going on? Did Travers know something that North needed to know about? North wished his mind didn’t feel like it was full of fog. He was lumbering around, trying to grasp onto something. But it didn’t seem to happen and things kept fading away.

  All he knew for certain was his name and that he was meant to be getting married. But North had a feeling that Emma Hughes was not the woman he was meant to be marrying.

  “Your Grace?”

  North looked up. A handsome woman in her late forties with russet-colored hair was walking sedately across the room towards him. She gave him a warm smile, one that North couldn’t help but smile back at.

  “Lady Charlotte.”

  Charlotte Travers curtsied as North took her hand and kissed it. She raised her eyebrows at him.

  “Are you still having the headaches? You’ve got more frown lines between your eyes.”

  “I’m afraid so.” North rubbed at his head. “I hate knowing there are several patches in my memory that I can’t remember. I don’t feel completely whole.”

  “I understand,” Lady Charlotte said gently. “It’s going to take time but it will get there. You’ll remember everything soon.”

  “I hope so.” Hopefully before he married Emma, otherwise North feared he might discover he had been duped into a mistake. “Everyone seems to be talking in riddles to me. No one is speaking clearly.”

  Much like Beauty. She was adamant that North had wronged her in some way. What had he done? North was sure he would remember. Unless it was in that space of time he couldn’t. They would be the only explanation.

  “Don’t worry about it this weekend,” Lady Charlotte urged, gently squeezing his arm. “Just enjoy some time with us and have some fun.”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  North wasn’t sure if he could, but he was willing to try. If anything, the Travers family were kind, generous people, and very good company. North remembered having a good time every visit.

  He looked out the window just as another carriage pulled up. There were a lot of people coming for the weekend. Then North started and stared as Beauty and the dark-haired woman he recognized as Eleanor Eliot climbed out, being helped by the footman.

  “Lady Charlotte. Who are those women coming out of the carriage?”

  Lady Charlotte joined him at the window, peering down into the courtyard. She smiled.

  “Oh, that’s Eleanor and Isabella Eliot. They’re childhood friends of my daughters’. Lord Travers asked if they could come as well. He is most fond of them.”

  “I see.”

  North knew this was going to be trouble. Having those two in close proximity to him was going to be uncomfortable. Especially Beauty—Isabella, North remembered. He had to remember that name.

  There was something about her that drew him to her but North couldn’t figure out what. Did she know something he didn’t about those missing months? Was that what she meant when she spoke of the two of them knowing each other previously?

  What had happened in the last year?

  “Your Grace?” Lady Charlotte was looking at him curiously, a slight frown between her eyes. “Is there something wrong? Do you want me to ask them to leave?”

  North shook his head. He didn’t want to put anyone out, especially for a reason he couldn’t fathom.

  “There’s no need. It’ll be fine.”

  Lady Charlotte’s expression said she didn’t believe him. But she nodded and walked away. North watched as the two sisters headed into the house, his eyes on Isabella. She was very beautiful. He could stare at her all day and never get bored.

  This was going to be a bad weekend if a simple young girl was distracting him from his future bride.

  ***

  Isabella knew she needed to get out of London but she had a feeling in her belly that this wasn’t the best thing to do. Somehow, coming to a house she had visited often as a child didn’t make her feel any better. If anything, Isabella had a feeling this was the wrong decision.

  But she didn’t want to say anything to her parents or her sister this time. They would tell her to stop being silly. She needed the fresh air and a change of scenery. Put the color back in her cheeks, her mother said.

  Isabella wished she would stop talking to her like she was still a child.

  Slightly behind Eleanor, Isabella followed her sister into the foyer. A door opened to the right and Lady Charlotte Travers entered the hallway, not looking a day older than when they had last seen her three years before. She practically beamed at the girls and held out her hands as she approached them.

  “Ellie! Belle!”

  “Aunt Charlotte!”

  Eleanor didn’t bother with the proprieties. She went over to the older woman and they embraced, the servants barely batting an eyelid as they went past. Isabella hung back, watching the interaction. Lady Charlotte stepped back and cupped Eleanor’s chin in her hand, her eyes smiling.

  “It’s so good
to see you.” She declared. “I can’t believe how much the two of you have grown up.”

  “We shouldn’t have lost touch, Aunt Charlotte,” Eleanor said.

  “That we shouldn’t.” Lady Charlotte turned to Isabella, her smile fading as she took in Isabella’s appear. “Why, Belle, are you well? You look awfully pale.”

  “I’ve just recovered from pneumonia.”

  “Oh, dear, darling,” Lady Charlotte hurried over, grasping Isabella’s hand. “You shouldn’t have come out if you were unwell.”

  “I needed the fresh air, Aunt Charlotte.” Isabella managed a smile. “I can manage.”

  Lady Charlotte didn’t look convinced. You couldn’t put a lie past her easily. But she didn’t say anything, gently tugging Isabella towards the back of the foyer and beckoning Eleanor to follow her.

  “Come on through. Sally and Clarissa are in the library.”

  This part Isabella was looking forward to. Clarissa was her age, and they had played together for hours when they were little. Clarissa was a lot more lively, but she was fun and Isabella was happy to have someone to talk to for a long time. Which Clarissa could do in spades.

  They entered the library and saw several of the guests invited for the weekend were already there. Isabella nodded at a few of them, who simply nodded back. Then she stopped short and stared. Emma Hughes was sitting on the couch, looking as pretty as always with her blonde curls pinned about her head perfectly and a dainty smile on her face. She was talking to a young man wearing spectacles who Isabella recognized as Viscount Parkes. The viscount was lapping up the attention.

  Did that mean if Lady Emma was here that North was here as well?

  Before Isabella could let that sink in, she heard a squeal and a sandy-haired woman with rosy cheeks and freckles hurried through the crowd, arms outstretched for Isabella.

  “Belle!”

  Isabella couldn’t help but smile. It was good to see her friend.

  “Clarissa!” She grasped the other woman as Clarissa Travers embraced her heartily. “I can’t believe that’s you.”

  Clarissa had gone from the curly-haired, doe-eyed little girl into a stunningly attractive young woman. Isabella hardly recognized her.